Wrapping-machine.



s. SHEETS-Sanna.

PATLNTLD JULY 3.1, 1906. M. H. BALLARD. WRAPPING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 23, 1904;

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No. 827,285. LATLNTLD JULY s1, 1906.

M. H. BALLARD. y

WRAPPING MACHINE.

'APPLICATION FILED DEO. 23, 1904.,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

LLIiLmESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

'MrLToN H. BALLARD, oF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIeNoR To Terre i FRUIT WRAPPING MACHINE COMPANY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS',

`'A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

wnAPPlNG-MACHINE.

Patented Julyl, 1906.

Application filed December 23. 1904. Serial No. 238.074.

. To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

yBe it known that l, MILTON H. BALLARn,

of Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in WVrapping-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing .like parts.

This invention relates to Wrapping-niachincs, and is intended as an improv/ement upon rthe wrapping-machine shown and described in United States Patents No. 472,202, dated April 5, 1892; No.` 516,136, dated March 6, 1894; No. 548,677, dated October 29, 1895; No. 595,421, dated December 4, 1897; No. 682,823, datedeptember 17, 1901, and the machine shown in my application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 193,392, tiled February 13, 1904, said machine being especially designed for wrapping more or less spherical objects, such as oranges.

The invention has for its object to improve the construction ol the severing device for the wrappers, to the end that the saine may be sharpened and adjusted by an ordinary workman, thereby obviatingthe services of an eX- perienced mechanic; also, to provide means, such as movable paper-engag1ng devices-` for engaging the loose end portion of the strip ol paper which is led vforward by the 'feeding dcvice between thc cooperating members of the :cutting device and feed it forward into proper position relative to the wrapping devices'and hold it at rest while the cutting device severs it and thereafter hold the severed end ortion or wrapper at rest until it is disengage therefrom; also, to provide a stationarily-supported guide at apoint adjacent the rest, on which the article reposes while being, wrapped solocated with respect thereto as to direct the ar- `ticle downward in its regular verticalcourse, even though acted upon by certain yforces tending to divert" it.; also, to provide means for holding the wrapped article relative to its support while the jamming or pinching jaws or members lrecede from each other to there-y by obviate pulling the wrapped article awayv from the rest; also, to provide means of\ escape from the jamming-jaws of the small pieces of paper which frequently become detached from the corrugated neck of the wrapper.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a sulicient portion of a wra ping-machine to illustrate my invention. "ig 2 is a ront elevation of the severing .device for the wrapper and the paper-feeding device. Fig. 3 is a vertical section ofthe severing device, taken on the dotted line 3 Fig. 2, the knife being shown in its elevated position. Fig. 4 is a vertical vsection of the severing device, taken on the dotted line 4 4, Fig. 2,'the knife being shown 111 its lowermost position. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail showing a portion of the knife.

liamming or pinching deviceand means for holding the wrapped article while the niem-v the liamming or pinching device and means for holding the wrapped article. Fig. 9 is a detail showing in plan View the pa er-feedin r deviceand means for holding t e severe Wrapper in correct relation to the wrapping devices.

yThe paper from the paperscarrying roll is fed tothe cutting-ohT device b vmeans of a pair ot positively-driven feed-rolls 41 42. The feed-rolls each have secured to them at one enda toothed gear 51 52, and said gears are in engagement with each other, and the lowermost feed-roll 42 has secured to it at its opposite end aflanged disk 59 and has loosely mounted on its shaft a toothed gear 53, bearing pawls (not shown) adapted to engage the flange of said disk 59, and a toothed gear 58 engages said gear 53, which is engaged by a rack-bar 54. loosely connected to the up er end of an arm 55, pivoted at its lower en to the framework. As the arm is oscillated the rack-bar 54 will be reciprocated and the feed-rolls positively driven.

' Each feed-roll has aplurality of circumferential groovesor spaces 301, to thereby proyvide aplurality of paper-engaging portions,

Fig. 6 is a detail showing in plan view the,

Fig. 8 is a detail showlng' the wrapped article in connection with Vroo and a guide-plate 302 is located betweenthe pair of feed-rolls and the cutting device, upon which the paperrests as it is moved along, and said guide-plate has fingers 303, which extend between the rolls 41 42 and occupypositions in the circumferential grooves 30] The guideplate 302 is secured to a frame-bar 304, hava'flat to over which the paper is fed, and said framear extends transversely the machine and is made wider than the strip of paper and has formed in its u per face a groove 305, extending longitudina ly thereof, which is adapted to receive the lower or cutting edge of a vertical knife 306, employed for cutting the paper to form the wrappers. The guideplate and frame-bar, to which it is attached, serve as a guide or table upon which the paper rests as it is fed by the feed-rolls to the cutting-off device. l

The vertical knife 306 is carried by a crosshead 307, extending transversely the machine, and the lower edge of said knife, which is adapted to serve as the cutting edge, is corrugated and sharpened, to thereby present a series of sharpened teeth as a cutting ed e. The cross-head 307 is guided at its ends y vertical guides 308, extending upward from the. frame, and the opposite ends of said cross-head are connected by links 309 to the extremities of arms 310, secured to a transversely-disposed rod 312, having its bearings in the framework, and one of said arms-310 posite end of y.which bears a stud y7 4, with or is loosely connected by a link 7() to one end of a lever A71, pivoted at 72, the other end of said lever being connected by a link 73 with one end of a lever 313, pivoted at 314, theopwithout a roll thereon, working in a groove 75, formedin a disk 76, secured to one of the o erating-shafts of the machine. As the shaft revolves the arms 310 are moved up and down and the knife correspondingly moved.

To hold the paper, which is very thin,

`ii'rmly on the guide or table While being cut,

Y paper firmly at o posite sides of the groove 305, so that as t e kmfe descends its lower ed e will enter said groove and cut the paper.

he resser-bars are supported in position and he d down by spiral springs 318, which are vertically arranged between the crosshead and the presser-bars and which are lield in place by pins projecting from .the crosshead and presserars, and said presser-bars are held-up to a normal elevation above the table by spring-pressed studs 319, two in number, set in sockets in the guide or table 304 near the opposite ends thereof. The

' studs are projected ward by the'springs beneath them and are eld in continuous engagement with the presser bars. As the cross-head descends the presser-bars press down the yielding studs 319 until stopped by engaging the paper on the guide 304, and

' then the springs 318 yield to permit the crosshead to continue its downward movement in order that the knife may seviV the paper and enter the knife-receiving slot 305.

The-paper used for wrapping oranges and most articles is very thin, and in practice much difficulty is experienced in cutting the paper with'shears, as shown in the atents eretofore referred to, notwithstandlng the ,care exercised, as the shears must be kept sharpened and also must be accurately adjusted to cut the thin paper, and the ordinalily-skilled workman cannot be depended upon to keep the shears in proper working order. Hence the em loyment of the knife, as herein shown and escribed. No adjustment is required for the knife and there is but one blade to sharpen. Therefore it possesses many advantages over the shears. Between thepair of paper-feed rolls 41 and 42 and the kmfe means are rovided for continuously holding down tlrfe paper on the guide or table, and said means consists of a bar 320, having a slightly-curved under or pa er-engaging face and having holes at each en t'o fit loosely upon pins 321, projecting u wardly from the guide or table, sald pins t ereby supporting the bar in correct position on the guide or table. This bar rests by gravity upon suitable shoulders formed on the pins 321 just above the paper. The cutting device and means for holdin the paper at opposite sides of the knife whi e the knife operates to sever it form the sub'ect-matter o adivisional application, Serial 0,290,110, filed by me.

The strip of paper is fed forward by the feed-rolls 41 42 a predeteriined distance at each operation of the machine, and the end portion of the strip projectin from the feedrolls passes beneath the k e and into correct position relative to the wrapping devices. Then the knife descends and severs the strip, and the severed portion thereof constitutes the wrapper.

Heretofore the end portion of the strip pro'ecting from the feed rolls has been pus ed.. forward between suitable wires designed' to support it in proper position relative to the wrapping devices; but in practice the wires are remotely disposed relatively to each other and do not grasp and thereby hold the wrapper, and in case a draft should strike the severed wrapper it will be blown away, and frequently the wrapper has a tendency to curl, and in either event its position relative to the wrapping devices is changed. Hence means are herein provided for engaging the end portion of the stri of paper rojecting from the feed-rolls an while hol ing it taut conveying it to a proper position relative to the wrapping devices and after the end portion is severed to form the wrapper holding said severed portion or wrapper un- IIO ISO

herein shown for carrying out this part of my invention consists of lmovable paper-engaging devices adapted to engage the strip of paper near its edges and advance it, and,.for the sake of illustration, saiddevices consist of two pairs of moving endless rbands disposed in vertical lplanes and widely separated, the bands of each pair cooperating to engage the strip of paper at or near its edge, the

lower bands of each pair beingy located beneath-and the upper bands of each pair above the end portion of the paper projecting Afrom the feed-rolls. l

`330 represents a shaft having its bearings in the frame and dis osed transversely the machine close lto the nife, and 331 331 are two groovedy ulleys secured thereto over whichthe en less bands 332 pass, which bands are located beneath the paper. The shaft 330 has also secured to it a toothed gear 333, which engages an idle toothed gear 334, suitably supported lbyv-the frame, and

said idle gear is engaged and driven by a toothed .gear 335, secured to the shaft of the feed-roll 42.

The lower endless bands 332 occupy ap- I proximately a horizontal position, and said andsare located a short distance apart and on each side of the wrapping devices and eX- tend to and pass over grooved pulleys 336,

mounted to revolve freely in suitable bearings at the upper ends of upright arms A337,

-loosely mountedupon the op osite ends of a horizontal rod 338, which is Xed at a point intermediate its lengthto an arm ofthe main frame. The upright arms 337 thus su port the outerends ofthe endless bands, an said.

arms incline in a direction away from thev shaft 330 and are held in their inclined positions .by springs 339, which encircle the rod I 338 and which arc connected at their inner ends to the iXsed support of the rod or bar and at their outer ends to. the arms. The pressure of the springs acts toV thrust the arms 337 in a direction away from the shaft 330, so'that the armsbesides supporting the outer endsof the endless bands will act independently in holding the endless bands taut.

The upper endless bands340arelocated in a plane above the bands 332, the inner ends of said bands 340 passing over grooved pulleys 341, secured to a horizontal shaft 342, disposedin parallellism with,` the shaft 330.

The shaft 342 has secured to ita toothed over groovedpulleys 345, supported near the extremities o the short arms 346, which are pivoted to the upper ends of the arms' 337. The arms 346 eachhave shortarms -347 eX- tending from them, the extremities of which'l are connected by springs 348 with the arms 337, said springs acting to draw the arms 346 vOn in onl ygPhe bands 332 340 of both pairs move. in

the samegeneral direction-that is, away from the knife-and as they are disposed one above the other the strip of paper projecting from the feed-rolls will be en aged by said bands and' while held taut wil be conveyed by them to the wrap ing devices as the paper is fed forward, an said bandsact to hold the strip while the knife operates to sever it and thereafter to hold the severed portion, constitutin 4thewrapper, until/said wrapper is positive y disengaged therefrom. 'l'he bandsengage the strip of paper near its side edges, and as they lead from the knife they vgradually diverge, as shown in Fig. 9, so that will yhave a tendency to draw out radually an wrinkles which may exist, am? thereby ho d the paper flat. The bands 332 and 340 are driven so that their surface speeds are greater than the surface speeds of the feedrolls, so as to ull sli htly on .the paper, and thus insure it eing rawn or held taut, and as the bands en age the strip frictionally this action of the ands is made possible.

The endless bands occupy positions at opposite sides of the rest te", upon which the article is thrust by the action of the plunger c, and also upon opposite --sides of the springarms u8, which serve as the centerin device IOC for the article, 'and the upper an `under bands engage' and hold thewra per in a f the article and wrapper upon it said wrapper, c

if not previously disen aged, will then be disen aged from the ban s.

f for any reason the paper should not be completely severed by the knife or if the severed end of thevwrapper should become4 caught at a point adjacent the knife, the tend- TIO ency is for the article to be swerved to one side of its normal path of rogress -by the wrapper thus caught while being thrust down by the plunger c, and to obviate such irregular movement of the article a guide is employed which is located at a point adjacent t e rest t6", said guide acting to direct the article downward and hold it in its proper .position on the rest 15 in case the inner end of the wrapper should not be free.` The guide here'in shown for the sake of illustrating this feature of my invention consists of a curved tween the plates of t and as shown in Fig. 6,"until one of them stri plate 350, secured to an arm 351, extending from the framework. This guide may be made adjustable in and out.

- In the machine herein shown a jamming or pinching device for the wrapper is employed, which is similar to that shown in Patent No.

595,421, comprising, essentially, two piles of slightly-separated angularly-formed plates lv v5 and means for` movin them toward and from each other, and t ese plates' jam or pinch the wra per, so as to produce a corrugated neck. t sometimes happens thatthe material of the wrappxer becomes wedged bee jamming or pinching device in such manner that as the two members recede from each other the corrugated neck of the wrapper will follow yone of the members when dlsengaged from the other member, and as a result the wrapped article 'will be pulled away from the rest t"o to one side, and herein means are provided for obviating this difficulty. 'u 'U5 represent the jammin or pinching jaws or members, which occup orizontal planes and which when move toward each other engage the wrapper form a corrugated neck. In a plane slightl belowthe two piles lof plates v v5 a pair o jaws 370 are located, 'which'also move m horizontal planes. These 'aws are pivoted at 371 372 and have secure to their pivots toothed gears 373, which enlgage each other so that the two jaws 370 wi move in opposite ways in unison. A pin 374 projects radially from each toothed gear, and said pins are connected together by a spring 375, the tendency of which is to throw the jaws apart,

es a stop 37 9. An extension 376 is formed on the arm of one of the j aws 370, to which a rod 377 is connected, havingp a roll thereon which engages a cam-disk 378, secured to one of the main shafts of the machine. By means of this cam the jaws 370 will be moved toward each other. The movement of the jaws 37 0 toward each other is suiicient toengage the wrajpgd article just below the jamming or pinc g device, and the action of the cam is so timed that said jaws will remain in engagement with the wrapped article while the jamming or inchin jaws recede, or at least for a part of t e rece ing movement of said jaws. The jaws 370 thus engage-the wrapped article and hold the wrapper in position thereon while the jamming or pinching jaws recede, even though the material of the wrapper should become wedged betweenV the plates of the jammingor pinching device.

As the jamming device severely compresses and corrugates the neck of the wra er, small pieces of the wrapper frequent y ecome detached, and particularly when very thin lpaper is employed, and many of these sma pieces of paper congregate between the severalplates composing the jaws. Heretofore the separating-p ates, which are bers disposed between the jamming-plates of eac jaw, have been made with two stra' ht edges at right angles to each other, and ltliey have been so disposed' between the plates of each jaw, that said straight-edges are in parallelism with the wra per-en aging edgesy of the jamminglates o the ot er jaw, and while some of t e small pieces of paper-are e'ected from between the jamming- ,lateso each` jaw by the jamming-plateso the other jaw working in the spaces between-the plates many pieces accumulate nextlthe straight edges of the separating-plates, which` of eing ejected will be crowded lagainst said straight edges until masses accumulate at these points, which are sometimes suilicient to linut the movement of the jammingplates towardeach other, and thereby shorten the stroke. In such event the neck of the Wrapper will not be erfectly formed and corrugated. To obvlate thus crowding together the small pieces ofv paper in a-mass against the edges of the separating-plates, said separating-plates of each jaw are herein formed with wedge-shaped portions 112 o, (see Fig.

6,) pointing in directions at rightangles to each other and to the wrap er-enga edges of the jamming-plates of t e other jaw,

so that as the the j amming-plates of each jaw will approach the apices of the wedgefshaped portions v 122 of the separating-plates in direct lines and 4the small pieces of paper will be pushed toward said wedge-sha ed portions'and will be divertedtherebyin iferent directions. The

aws move toward each otherv separatin lates, andu throu hthese holes l g P P g the -small leces of pa er are free to and do escape.A he holes w' be made of any suitable size and shape. s

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to-'secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a wrapping-machine, the combina-l tion of a paper-carrying roll, a paper-cutting device, a pa er-feeding device located between said ro l and cutting device, means located at the opposite side of said cutti device adapted to engage the end portion o the stri of paper which is fed forward by the fee 'ng device, between the coperating memo the cutting device, and feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cuttin device severs the strip, and thereafter hol the severed end portion at rest, and means forl lforcing the article into engagement with said "severed end .portion and for disengaging it,

substantially as described. g v

`2. In a'wrapping-machine, the combinationf of a paper-carrying roll, an intermitby thel feeding device, between the lcoperat-v4 ing members of the cutting device, and feed it forward, and hold it atrest while the cut. ting device severs the strip, and thereafter hold the severed end portion at rest, and

j means for forcing the article into en agement with said severed end portion and or disengaging it from said engaging devices, substantially as described. y Y

3. In a wrapping-machine, the combination of a paperscarrying roll, a pa er-cutting device, a paper-[feeding device ocated between said roll and cutting device, a pair of widely-separated paper-engagin devices located at the opposite side of sai cutting device adapted to enga e the edges of the end portion of the strip o paper which is fed forward by they feeding device, between the lcooperating members of the cutting device, and

feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cutting device severs the strip, and thereafter hold the severed end portion at rest, and

means for forcing the .article into 1 enga ement with said severed end portion and or disengagin it from said engaging devices, substantial y as described.

4. In a Wrapping-machine, the combination of a'paper-carrying roll, a pa er-eutting device, a paper-feedin device ocated between said roll and sai cutting device, pa'

per-engaging devices located at the opposite side of said cutting device adapted to engage the end portiomof thel strip. of paper which is fed forward by the feeding device, between.

the cooperating members of the cutting'de-v vice, and feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cutting device severs the strip and thereafter hold the severed end portion at rest, means for intermittingly and simultane ously operating said paper-feedimT device and said paper-engaging devices, and means for forcing the article into engagement with said severed endportion and for disengaging it' from said engaging devices, substantially as described. j f

5. ln a wrapping-machine, the combination of a paper-carrying roll, an intermittingly-operated paper-cutting device, ian intermittingly-operated pa er-feeding" device located between said roll) and cutting-device, paper-engaging devices connected with said feeding deviceand operated simultane-f ously therewith, Awhich are located at the opand cutting de` paper-engagin recede, substantial posite side of said cutting'device, and adapted to enga e the end portion' ofthe strip of paper whic is fed forward by the feeding device, between the co erating members of `the cutting device, an feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cutti device severs the strip and thereafter hold t 1e severedjend portion at rest, and means for forcing article into en agement with said severed end portion an for disengaging it from said lenga 'ng"devices,I substantially as described.

'them `6. n a wrappmg-machine, the .combina- 'y tion of a paper-carrying roll, an intermit- ,tin ly-'operated paper-cutting device, a pair of eedin -rolls located between said roll and cutting evice, means for o erating them simultaneously, twopairs o intermittingly-r` i' operated en less belts located at the opposite of paper which is fed forward. by ,the feeding sldeof said-:cutting device adaptbd to 'en'- gage the edgesof the end portion of the strip device, between the cooperating members of the cutting device, and feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cutting device f severs the strip, and thereafter hold the severed end portion at rest, and means for forcing the' articleV into enga ement with said severed end portion and for disengaging it from said belts, substantially as described.

`7. In a wrapping-machine, the combination of a paper-carrying roll, an intermittingly-operated paper-cutting device, a pair of feeding-rolls located between said roll and cutting device, means for operating them in'- termittingly, two pairs of endless belts located at the opposite side of said cutting device, adapted to engage the edges of the end portion of the strip of paper which is fed for.- ward by the feeding device, between the cooperating members of the cutting device, and feed it forward, and hold it at rest while the cuttin device severs'the strip, and thereafter ho d the severed end portion at rest, means connecting the driving-shaft of -said belts with the driving-shaft of the feeding-I rolls, whereby they areintermittingly operf i ated in unison' and simultaneously with said feeding-rolls, and means for forcing the article into engagement with said severed end ortion and for disengaging it from said elts, substantially as described. 8. In a wrapping-machine, the combination of a set of jamming or pinching jaws for the wra per, and means for operating them, fbr -forcing the article and wrapper down between said jaws and for 'supporting the article While said jaws operate, a pair of pivoted aws, moving in a plane below said jamming or pinching jaws, gears connected to'said jaws which engage each other, and means for operating said 'aws to engage the wrapped article and hold it relative toits support While the jamming or pinching jaws y as described. 9. In a wrapping-machine, thecombinaioo IIO

wrapper, and a set of jamming or pinching,

.its wrapper, a set of tion of means for holding the article with its' jaws for thewiapper, each jaw com rising. several wrapper-engaging plates an separating-plates interposed etween them, .and bolts securing said plates together, said wrapper-engagingplateshavingholesthrough them adjacent said-separating-plates, which provide or the escape of sma l pieces'o paper, substantially as described.

10. In a wrapping-machine the combination with means for holding the article with jamming or pinching jaws for the wrapper, each composed of a pile of jamming or pinching plates, and separating-plates interposed between said jamming or pinching plates having wedgesha ed portions pointinguf, different angles, sai jamming or pinc g plates having holes throu h them, adjacent said se arat ing-plates, between the Wedge-sha e porother, the inner side e tions thereof, substantiall as deseri ed.-

11. In a wrapping-mac e, the combination with means-for holding the article with its' wrapper, a" set of jamming or pinching jaws for the wrap er, each composed of a pile of two-arme jamming or pinching plates, the arms of vwhich aire arranged at ht angles to each other, and separatingp ates interposed between said jamming or pinching plates having twowedge-shaped portions pointing at ri ht angles to each ges of said wedgeshaped portions being in alinement, said jamimng or pinching plates having holes through them, at the junctions of the arms thereof, at points between the two wedgeshaped ortions of the separating-plates, substantially iis-described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of -two subscribing witnesses.

MILTON H. BALLARD. Witnesses B. J. NoYEs, H. B. DAvis. 

